


Old Wounds

by hunter_king



Series: Supernatural - J2 [36]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Barebacking, Bottom Jared Padalecki, M/M, Swearing, Top Jensen Ackles, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:55:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22808989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunter_king/pseuds/hunter_king
Summary: After hearing about his brother's sudden illness, Jensen returns home to mend fences with his sister for their family's sake. When he learns about the criminal responsible for making his best friend's life a living nightmare, Jensen uses his police resources to do everything in his power to keep Jared safe. Will Jensen be able to keep his newfound love safe? Or will history end up repeating itself?
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Series: Supernatural - J2 [36]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1190143
Comments: 10
Kudos: 191
Collections: SPN Meant to Be Master Collection





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to jdl71 for the wonderful beta work she did for me!  
> Written for the 2020 spn_meanttobe Challenge

Jensen sighed as he climbed out of his truck, slamming the door behind himself. The Texas heat was already starting to get to him, reminding him of why he left this damn place in the first place. He preferred the cool weather in Quantico – this heat had always been such a drag. But there was a reason he'd moved back, and the heat wasn't going to scare him away.

Moving around to the back of his truck, Jensen gathered his bags. He'd already had movers take care of all the big furniture and things, so all he had really to take in was his clothing. He managed to take it in one go, dropping his duffels to the floor as he kicked the door closed behind him. Slowly, he took in the sight of the place – his new home. It was just as he'd remembered it when he came down here a few months ago to see it. Huge archways and a beautiful staircase that led to a spacious upstairs. It reminded him a lot of the home he'd grown up in.

Which reminded him, he needed to get ready for the barbeque his parents were having. It wasn't anything fancy – just a few family and friends getting together to celebrate the beginning of the summer. But his sister was going to be there, so Jensen knew he had to get there with enough time to catch up with her and talk.

After all, she was the only reason he decided to move back to this damn town. Well, that and the recent discovery of his brother's illness. It was now that family needed to stick together. And Jensen and Mackenzie hadn't been on speaking terms in well over five years. But he was determined to change that today.

Once he was changed into a T-shirt and jeans, Jensen climbed back into his truck and made the short drive to his childhood home. With Josh living at home now, Jensen wanted to be close in case his parents or his brother needed anything. That had been one of the stipulations to buying a house in this town. Another stipulation had been the bureau being able to transfer him down here. That had been no problem, apparently since Jensen was on the schedule for Monday already. And he'd already met his new team. He figured it was going to be a good fit if his first impression had been decent.

Almost as soon as he pulled into the driveway, he was greeted by his mother. A wide smile came to his lips as he hugged her, chuckling when she pecked him on the cheek. “Hi, Mom,” he greeted, pulling away from the hug so he could shake his father's hand. “Where is everyone? I thought this was a party.”

“Well, your brother is out back with Jeff and Gerald,” Donna explained, looping her arm through Jensen's as she started to lead him toward the backyard. “Sharon and Megan were talking to Mackenzie last I saw them. And...Jared is around here somewhere.” Seeing Jared standing next to the pool, Donna smiled, “Oh, there he is! Go on and say hello, Jen. I know it's been a while since the two of you had a chance to hang out. Dinner will be ready at 6, sweetie.”

Just as he was told, Jensen headed toward the pool, smiling at Jared. “Damn, you got tall,” Jensen chuckled, waving at the younger man. It had been a while since they'd seen each other, so Jensen wasn't surprised. He also couldn't help but notice the way Jared had filled out. The last time he'd seen him, Jared had been a sixteen-year-old, scraggly kid. Now, he was a man.

A wide smile came to Jared's lips when Jensen spoke to him. “Yeah,” he chuckled, moving to close the distance between the two of them. “A lot can happen in six years. C'mere.” He didn't wait for Jensen to respond before his arms were wrapped around him, pulling Jensen into a warm embrace. “I've missed you. How's life at the bureau? You're gonna have to tell me everything. Is it just like it is in the movies, Jen?”

Although Jensen wanted to sit here and talk to Jared like they'd always done in the old days, he knew that he couldn't. “Yeah, absolutely,” Jensen promised with a nod. However, when he noticed his sister breaking away from the other women and heading into the house, Jensen frowned at Jared. “Hey, look, I'm gonna go talk to Mack. But we'll catch up later. I promise.”

With that, Jensen was jogging toward the house, letting the screen door close behind him. “Mack,” he called out, catching his sister off guard. “Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” Now that he was actually in the same room with his sister, Jensen wasn't even sure what to say. He'd gone through this scenario so many times in his head – he had so many different conversations planned. And right now, he couldn't remember a single one. “Look, can we talk? Please?”

Not hesitating, Mackenzie shook her head. “No,” she spat out. “We can't talk, Jensen. I have nothing to say to you. Not now, and not ever.” Pushing past Jensen, she muttered an excuse me before she was out the door, letting it slam closed behind her.

In all of his scenarios, he hadn't expected her to say no. Sure, he knew it was a possibility, but he'd hoped that six years would have been long enough for her to start to finally forgive him. But apparently, he'd been wrong. Even with everything that was going on with their family right now, he'd been wrong.

About an hour later, dinner was served. Jensen wasn't really hungry after his encounter with his sister, but he forced himself to eat at least a burger so his mother didn't get suspicious. She'd tried to help him a while back with Mackenzie, but it seemed like nothing was going to work. Jensen hated it. All he wanted was a chance to explain himself. He didn't think that was too much to ask. But Mackenzie obviously had another opinion on the matter.

After dinner, Jensen headed toward the property line, taking a seat on one of the old stumps he'd used to frequent as a kid. He just needed a minute to clear his head. And it wasn't like anyone was going to miss him. Everyone was mingling amongst themselves, drinking, and having a good time. Jensen didn't want to spoil that with his sour mood.

A beer suddenly tapped him on the shoulder, causing Jensen to turn his attention to the person offering him the drink. When he realized it was Jared, Jensen smiled, taking the offered beverage. “Thanks,” he mumbled, taking a long pull from the bottle. It was good – it really hit the spot.

“Mind if I sit?” Jared asked, smiling widely when Jensen shook his head. Taking a swig from his own beer, Jared kept an eye on Jensen, watching the way he kept looking back at his sister. “What's wrong?” Jared asked, chancing a glance at Mackenzie himself. He hadn't been around when Jensen and Mackenzie had their fight, but he'd heard about it after it happened. He hadn't ever gotten the details, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted them. He was really close with Mackenzie _and_ Jensen, and he didn't want this feud to make him biased toward one or the other.

Slowly, Jensen shook his head. “Nothing,” he lied. One glance at Jared told him that the younger man wasn't buying his lie though. “Look, it's not important, alright? Nothing I can do about it right now.” Sighing, Jensen took another drink. “So, how have you been? It's been six years, right? What's been going on with you?”

Shrugging, Jared answered, “Nothing exciting really. I finished college and I'm working at a clinic in town. I really like it there. The vet thinks I'm one of the best technicians he's ever had. He told me he's actually thinking of promoting me.” He smiled when Jensen congratulated him. “Thanks. But it's nothing compared to what you're doing. Working at the FBI? Tell me what it's like, Jen. And don't skimp on the details, either.”

**~~**

Hours had passed by without either of the men realizing just how much time they'd spent talking. However, when Jensen heard his mother telling him that they were headed to bed, Jensen knew it was probably time to go. “Damn,” he chuckled. “I didn't even realize it was that late.” Pushing himself from the stump, Jensen stretched out his aching back, knowing he was going to regret that position in the morning. “Do you need a ride home? I have my truck.”

Another smile came to Jared's lips when Jensen mentioned his truck. “The one from summer of '98?” he asked, smile widening when Jensen nodded. “Wow, I can't believe you still have that thing up and running. Remember when it broke down on the side of the road and we thought we were going to be stranded?”

Now, it was Jensen turn to chuckle. “Um... _you_ thought we were going to be stranded,” Jensen corrected. “I had everything under control the whole time. I told you I knew my way around a car engine. And you just wouldn't believe me.”

Again, Jared smiled, nodding at the memory. “Yeah, you were right,” he assured Jensen. “And to answer your question, I would love a ride home. I drove down here with my parents, but it seems like they left without me.” He chuckled again, only this time because his parents had actually left without him. They'd never done that before.

“Yeah, no problem,” Jensen assured Jared, pulling the door to the passenger seat open for the younger man. Once Jared was in the cab, Jensen climbed behind the wheel, listening to her purr as he started up the truck. “Do you still live with our folks, or is there someplace else I'm taking you?”

Shaking his head, Jared answered, “Nah, I moved out when I finished school. I live just off the main road, heading into town. That big house on the end of the street that we always used to admire when we were kids.” His smile widened when Jensen seemed impressed with him. “Yeah, I bought it about two years ago now.”

On the ride to Jared's house, he and Jensen talked about stupid memories they'd shared growing up. It was easy to talk to Jensen, and Jared liked it. Memories just seemed to come flooding back, and it made Jared feel good to think about their childhood. It made him feel safe. And that wasn't a feeling he knew all too well over the last few years.

When Jensen pulled into the driveway, he cut the engine, walking Jared to his front door. “Well, have a good night, Jay,” Jensen smiled. He almost didn't want to leave. It had felt good to be able to catch up with Jared and just laugh about the past for once. Usually, when he thought about the past, he was waking up from a nightmare, drenched in sweat and unable to catch his breath. “It was really nice catching up. We should do it again sometime.”

Jared didn't want Jensen to leave. He hadn't felt this calm and safe, and just _good_ in almost six years. And he knew Jensen was to thank for that. “Wait,” Jared whispered, catching Jensen's elbow as he turned toward the truck. Without thinking about it too much, Jared leaned forward, capturing Jensen's lips with his own.

The kiss caught him off guard, Jensen gasping softly as Jared's tongue slipped past his teeth. It wasn't unpleasant – just not what Jensen had been expecting. But he wasn't complaining. He'd been thinking about doing this all night – he just hadn't had the nerve. Jensen's hands came up to wrap around Jared's waist, pulling the younger man closer as he deepened the kiss. 

By the time the kiss broke, both men were panting out their breaths. “Stay?” Jared breathed, biting into his bottom lip as he waited for Jensen's answer. It seemed like Jensen was taking forever to respond, and Jared got a little worried he hadn't heard the question. “Stay here with me tonight?”

He wanted to. Damn, he wanted to so badly. After all, what did Jensen have to go home to? An empty, new house that he wasn't even sure he liked yet? But Jensen needed to make sure Jared was sure about this. “Are you sure?” Jensen asked, moss green eyes searching Jared's face for any signs of doubt. It felt like his heart skipped a beat when he didn't see any.

Without hesitation, Jared nodded. “Yes, I'm sure,” he promised, pulling Jensen back into a kiss. His moans were swallowed up in the kiss, Jared's fingers carding through Jensen's short cropped, light brown hair. As he kissed Jensen, Jared fumbled in his pocket for his keys, fighting with the lock for a minute before he finally got the door open.

Once they were inside the house, Jared shoved the door closed, throwing the lock into place out of habit. “Bedroom,” he mumbled, tugging on Jensen's clothes as he toed off his shoes. “Upstairs. C'mon.” He half walked, half stumbled to the bedroom because he was walking backward, throwing the door open as soon as he reached it. He then yanked Jensen into the room behind him, shoving him against the door as his lips crushed against Jensen's once more. He didn't realize it when the door slammed so hard it rocked from the impact.

Jensen moaned against Jared's lips, his back twinging with pain when it hit the door as it slammed. “Fuck,” he grunted when the kiss broke, eyes locked on Jared's face. He was beautiful in this moment – well, more beautiful than usual, anyway. His lips were kiss swollen and sloppy with their shared spit, and his champagne hazel eyes were wild and lust blown. It was like something out of one of Jensen's teenage wet dreams. 

Before Jensen knew what was happening, Jared's hands were on him, tugging at his clothes impatiently. “Off,” Jared muttered, shoving his hands up under Jensen's T-shirt to feel the hard planes of muscle there. “I need you. Please, Jensen? Please, hurry.”

Not wanting to keep Jared waiting, Jensen reached behind himself, pulling his shirt over his head. He tossed it into the corner of the room, quickly moving to work on the button of his jeans. He popped the button with expert skill, dragging down the zipper before he stripped out of the denim, toeing off his socks when he kicked the denim into the corner to fall with his shirt. Once he was down to his boxers, Jensen turned his attention to Jared. 

His hands were on Jared before he even thought to ask, gripping the hem of the younger man's wife beater and shoving the fabric off Jared's body. His lips crushed against Jared's once more as he reached for the waistband of Jared's pants, undoing the fastenings and shoving them off Jared's hips along with Jared's briefs. 

As soon as Jared was naked, Jensen broke the kiss, taking a step back to admire Jared's perfect body. He felt his cock twitching in the confines of his boxers as he drank Jared in. “C'mere,” he breathed, reaching for Jared's hand so he could lead the younger man to the bed. 

Jared shoved Jensen onto his back when they were close enough to the bed, smiling at Jensen as he gripped the waistband of his boxers and tugged. As Jared pulled on Jensen's boxers, Jensen pushed himself further up the bed, allowing Jared to strip him of the last bit of fabric he was wearing. Now, Jensen was just as exposed as Jared, and it was Jared's turn to admire the view.

Reaching for Jared again, Jensen all but whined, “C'mere. Get in bed with me. I want you so bad, Jay. Please?” He'd never begged for someone before. Sure, he'd had plenty of good sex, but not like this. He'd never actually felt like he _needed_ someone in the bed with him before. Not like he felt for Jared right now.

Before Jared got too comfortable, he rummaged through his drawer to find the lube. Once he had it, Jared did as he was told, moving to climb into the bed with Jensen. Again, he crushed his lips against the older man's, tongue demanding entrance, which he was allowed. “Mmm...Jensen,” Jared moaned, fingers gripping at Jensen's back and shoulders, undoubtedly leaving red marks where his nails dug into Jensen's skin.

“God, Jared,” Jensen breathed when the kiss broke, Jensen rocking into Jared's hips, rubbing their already hard cocks together. He wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. There was something about Jared that made him lose his mind. Something he couldn't explain. It was something that had always been there. Even when they were younger. But Jared had been underage – Jensen couldn't touch him back then. Now though, Jared was all grown up. “I need to be inside you, baby. Can I? Please, Jay?” 

Quickly, Jared nodded, shoving the bottle of lube into Jensen's hand. “Y-Yeah,” he breathed, biting into his bottom lip as Jensen's cock ground against his own leaking flesh. “Please, Jen...hurry.” He hissed in a breath when he felt Jensen's cool, lube slicked finger pressing at his hole, biting into his bottom lip once more to suppress the obscene moan that wanted to break from him.

This wasn't something he usually did. He didn't invite people into his home and just lose his clothes for them. But he'd been in love with Jensen for as long as he could remember. And when an opportunity to have sex with Jensen Ackles came along, Jared wasn't going to pass that up for anything. 

When Jensen added a second finger alongside the first, Jared gasped. Jensen's fingers weren't as long as Jared's, but they were thicker. Usually, Jared could get two fingers into himself with no problem, but Jensen was having trouble. So, Jared focused on his breathing, trying to keep his body as calm and relaxed as possible. He just kept reminding himself that this was Jensen laying in the bed next to him – it was Jensen. Not anyone else – no one else was here.

After a few more minutes, Jensen added a third slick finger, biting into his bottom lip when Jared's muscles clenched around him. He wanted Jared to be prepared and open for him before he just moved forward. The last thing he wanted was for Jared to get hurt. Jensen would never forgive himself if he hurt Jared.

A few more minutes passed with Jensen working his three fingers in Jared's body. Slowly, he crooked his middle finger, smiling when Jared gasped in pleasure because Jensen had found that spot inside of him that he'd been aiming for. “Are you ready baby?” Jensen asked, slowly pulling his fingers out of Jared's ass before he lubed up his cock.

“Mmmhmm,” Jared moaned, the sound being swallowed up in their kiss. However, when Jensen gently nudged him onto his back, Jared felt panic slam into him, causing his breaths to kick up a notch. “W-Wait, Jen, please,” Jared breathed, fingers gripping at Jensen's shoulders. “I-I wanna be on top. Let me ride you, babe. Please?”

Although Jared's reaction to being on his back was weird, Jensen wasn't really focusing on it too much right now. “Yeah, baby, 'course you can,” Jensen answered, hands on Jared's hips to help guide him as Jared straddled him. When Jared gripped the base of his cock and slowly sank down onto him, Jensen bit his bottom lip, head pressed into the pillow as his fingers dug into Jared's skin a little harder. Once Jared's body was flush against his, Jensen slowly released his bottom lip, hands sliding up Jared's sides in a soothing massage. “You're perfect, Jay.”

Tingles ran up Jared's spine when Jensen's fingertips danced across his skin. He chuckled softly when Jensen complimented him. “I'm far from perfect,” Jared argued, hands falling on Jensen's chest. Pressing down against Jensen, Jared raised his hips just a bit, falling back down slowly as another moan slipped from his throat. Slowly, Jared began to pick up the pace, hair cascading into his face as his head fell forward. “Fuck...Jen...God,” he breathed.

Again, Jensen's hands fell to Jared's hips, helping to steady him as he rocked up and down on Jensen's hard member. He'd dreamed of this back in the day, but he never imagined it could be this good. Jared's muscles were shifting with each move, his golden skin glistening with sweat as Jared set a brutal rhythm. Jensen groaned softly when Jared's fingers dug into the meaty part of Jensen's thighs, Jared's back arching as he picked up the pace.

If they kept it up like this, Jensen wasn't going to last long. And Jensen was a generous lover, so he expected Jared to get off too. “Jared,” Jensen breathed, reaching for the younger man's cock, fingers wrapping around the base moments before Jensen slowly starting working the hard flesh. “Baby, m'gonna cum. Cum with me, Jay.”

As soon as Jensen's hand was on his skin, Jared knew he was going to lose it. His muscles locked, balls drawing up tightly against his body as the first spurt of cum shot from his cock. Jared moaned as Jensen worked him through his orgasm, breath leaving him in a rush as he felt Jensen falling over the edge right after him. 

Jared barely remembered to roll onto his side as he collapsed onto the bed, breaths panting out of him as he came down from his orgasmic high. “Holy shit,” he breathed, cheeks reddening when he heard Jensen chuckle beside him. Fuck, he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Lazily, Jensen rolled onto his side, one arm slinging over Jared's abdomen. “Yeah, you're tellin' me,” Jensen drawled. He pressed his face into the crook of Jared's neck, breathing deeply. “You were amazing,” he complimented, fingers carding through Jared's shaggy chestnut locks. 

Again, Jared felt his cheeks heating at the compliment. He'd never been with someone who was so nice – it was refreshing. Biting into his bottom lip, Jared leaned in, pressing his lips to Jensen's. All of a sudden, he felt very unsure of himself. Maybe this wasn't the dream he thought it was turning out to be. After all, Jared knew better than anyone that dreams could turn into nightmares very quickly. 

When the kiss broke, Jared pulled back, bottom lip trapped between his teeth. Jensen hadn't pulled away, so that was always a good sign. “Are you...staying here with me?” he asked, eyes ticking from Jensen's face to the bed and back. 

“Do you want me to?” Jensen asked, eyes searching Jared's face for any signs that he wanted him to leave. Jared had asked him to stay here with him tonight, but if he was having second thoughts, Jensen would leave. He didn't want to, but he wasn't about to go against Jared's wishes. 

Without hesitation, Jared shook his head, fear shooting through his body at the idea of Jensen leaving. “Y-Yeah,” he answered. “I...I want you to stay.” A small, unsure smile came to Jared's lips when Jensen promised he wasn't going to leave if that's what Jared wanted. Yes, that's what Jared wanted. “Will you...hold me?” Jared asked, snuggling up tighter against Jensen's body. The moment Jensen's arm tightened around him, Jared felt safe once again.

**~~**

The sound of a phone buzzing jarred Jensen from sleep. Slowly, he lifted his head, his sleep fuzzy mind taking a moment to focus on his surroundings. A small smile came to his lips when he realized that Jared was still in bed with him, the younger man's limbs thrown haphazardly over Jensen's body in Jared's slumber. 

Trying to be as quiet as he could, Jensen untangled himself from Jared, grabbing his phone and flipping it open. “H'lo,” he stuttered, clearing the sleepiness from his throat as he padded to the bathroom, hoping to get some privacy so Jared didn't wake up. “Yeah...what's going on?” As he listened to the man on the other end of the line explain the situation, Jensen felt the blood drain from his face. “What the hell do you mean Mitch Pillegi escaped?! He was supposed to be in a maximum security prison!”

He was letting his anger get the best of him. Quickly, Jensen took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. It wasn't like it was Jeffrey's fault the pedophile had escaped. It just hit real close to home for Jensen. After all, Mitch Pillegi had been one of the first criminals Jensen had put behind bars. He'd still been a detective on the force when it happened – and Jeremy had still been alive and well. “Yeah...I can come down first thing in the morning. Just book the flight and send me the details.”

With that, Jensen hung up the phone. When he opened the bathroom door, Jared was sitting up on the bed, curled up in the fetal position. He was visibly shaking, which immediately caused Jensen to spring into action. “Hey,” he breathed, climbing onto the bed and wrapping his arms around Jared's shoulders. “Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me. Did you have a nightmare?” When Jared didn't answer, Jensen cupped his cheeks, eyes locking on Jared's scared hazels. “Hey, look at me, Jay. Talk to me.”

Unable to stop himself from shaking, Jared felt a single tear slip down his cheek. “I...um...I overheard your conversation,” Jared explained, feeling bad for eavesdropping. It wasn't like he'd meant to. He'd just woken up when he heard voices and realized Jensen wasn't with him anymore. “Mitch Pillegi,” Jared started, eyes locking with Jensen's. “I'm the reason he got put behind bars. I...I testified against him.”

Jensen's heart broken when Jared told him his story. He'd known Jared practically his whole life, yet he hadn't known about Mitch. Thinking back on the case, it made so much more sense now why Jeffrey hadn't allowed Jensen in the courtroom when the testimonies had been taking place. Because he was too close to that part of the case. “God Jay, baby, I'm so sorry,” Jensen breathed, pulling Jared close against his chest. 

For the rest of the night, Jensen just held Jared as he cried in an attempt to make him feel better. After all, there wasn't much else he could do. He knew that nothing he could say would take away the pain Jared felt. All he could do was be here for him now. “It's okay Jay,” he whispered in the younger man's ear. “I'm gonna take care of you. I'm gonna protect you. He's never going to touch you ever again. I promise, baby.”

When Jensen's lips pressed against his temple, Jared's eyes slipped closed. He pressed his body impossibly tighter against Jensen's unable to crush the sinking feeling inside his gut. Mitch was out of prison. Jared was no longer safe. And as much as Jensen promised to keep him safe, Jared couldn't help but feel like this time, he wasn't going to get out of this unscathed.


	2. Chapter Two

A deep frown came to Jensen's lips as he walked through the double doors leading into the main building of the FBI headquarters. He hadn't expected to be back this soon, but desperate times called for desperate measures. His desk was just as he'd left it when he headed to Texas – just one picture of his family there so his FBI family could remember him. 

Turning his attention to Jared, Jensen gently took his elbow, leading him to his desk. “Just sit here for a second,” Jensen instructed, eyes scanning the room for one of his team members. He was supposed to meet Jeffrey here as soon as the plane landed, so he was actually kind of surprised the older man wasn't here. “I'm gonna go find Jeffrey,” Jensen explained. “Do you need anything, baby?”

Satisfied when Jared shook his head, Jensen brushed his fingers along Jared's jaw, quickly heading to Jeffrey's office. Once he was beside the door, he could see his mentor seated at the desk – catching up on paperwork more than likely. Jensen smiled softly when the gentle rapping of his knuckles on the hard door caught Jeffrey's attention. “Miss me?” Jensen chuckled, pushing through the door when Jeffrey motioned him inside.

“Jensen, it's nice to see you again,” Jeffrey greeted, moving to shake Jensen's hand. “I wish it was under better circumstances.” Moving behind his desk once more, Jeffrey rifled through one stack of folders, pulling one from the middle of the pile. “Here's what we know so far about Pillegi's escape.”

As soon as he was offered the folder, Jensen took it, eagerly opening the files. His stomach rolled when he saw the photos of the scene – at least three officers had been killed in the struggle, along with countless inmates. Pillegi was smart – he must have started a riot as a distraction. “He started a riot?” Jensen asked, just wanting to verify. Another frown came to his lips when Jeffrey merely nodded. “Do we have any leads?”

Now, it was Jeffrey's turn to frown. “No,” he answered, obviously upset by that. “I have my guys out there searching the perimeters, but so far, nothing's come up.” The look in Jeffrey's eyes was sad as he turned his attention to Jared. “We're worried about him, Ackles,” Jeffrey explained. “He was Pillegi's last victim. And the _reason_ he ended up behind bars. We need someone to be on him 24/7.”

Without hesitation, Jensen answered, “I'll do it.” There was no way he was leaving Jared's side when this was happening. Not when he knew Pillegi was out there. Not when there was a chance he was coming after Jared. “He's not leaving my side while this sick freak is out on the streets.” It briefly occurred to him that he hadn't even ask Jared if he was okay with Jensen being his bodyguard, for lack of a better word. But he figured Jared wouldn't care. After all, they'd been friends forever. And after last night – well, Jensen wasn't exactly sure where they stood right now.

Although Jeffrey wanted to argue that Jensen was too close to this case, he knew it would be a moot point. If there was one thing he knew about Jensen Ackles, it was that he did everything in his power to protect the people he cared about. And it was very obvious that Jensen cared for Jared. “Alright,” Jeffrey answered. “I'll get the paperwork going for HR. In the meantime, I want you and Jared to stay put. Once we have everything set up, the two of you can go to a remote location where you'll be safe.”

Jensen was familiar with witness protection protocols, but he wasn't about to follow them. He'd spoken to Jared about this on the plane, and Jared had been _very_ clear about not wanting to leave his hometown or his family. “Jared doesn't want that,” Jensen argued, shaking his head. “He wants to be able to keep everything about his daily routine normal.”

Being that Jensen had only been gone for a few days, Jeffrey knew that he couldn't have possibly forgotten protocol that quickly. “Excuse me?” Jeffrey asked, eyes wide at Jensen's words. “You're kidding, right? You know he can't just stay where he's at right now. If something happens to him that could have been avoided, that's on us.”

He was aware of the situation – Jensen had been on the force for almost seven years. He wasn't stupid. But he also wasn't willing to make Jared do something he didn't want to do. Enough people had already done that to the younger man – Jensen wasn't about to add his name to that list. “I know,” Jensen assured his boss. “But this is what Jared wants. Look, I know it's not ideal, okay? But he can stay with me. We'll keep him away from his house, and I'll make sure his boss is aware of the situation and that he won't be into work for a while. Just...let him stay with me. At the new place. My name isn't even listed on the property. I kept everything private.”

It was risky. Jeffrey didn't like it one bit. But he also knew that he couldn't force Jared into something he didn't want to do. Even if he knew it was for the best, Jeffrey knew it wasn't legal. And even if it was, he knew he'd have to go through Jensen. “Fine,” he finally agreed. “But I want agents checking in with you every hour. And I'm going to have squad cars dropping by periodically, too. If we're going to do this your way, we're going to play it smart.”

There were absolutely no objections to Jeffrey's plan from Jensen's position. Honestly, he was a little surprised Jeffrey hadn't put up more of a fight on the matter. “Yeah, that's fine. Probably for the best, actually. If something happens to me, I want to make sure Jared is safe. That seems like a good protocol to follow. Maybe we can have a few agents stay at Jared's place. That way if Pillegi comes looking for Jared, he'll find them instead.”

The plan was shaping up, which had Jensen sighing in relief. He hadn't realized that practically the whole morning it had felt like he hadn't been able to breathe. Now that they had a solid plan set in motion, Jensen felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. “Jared and I have tickets to fly back to Texas tomorrow morning,” Jensen explained as he and Jeffrey headed out of his office. “It's flight 265 – I'm sure you can get some agents on the flight home with us.”

When Jeffrey nodded, letting Jensen know that wouldn't be a problem, Jensen continued, “I'm gonna take Jared shopping today for some supplies. He needs a new phone, at least. Jared's had the same number for years – there's no way Pillegi doesn't have it. And we don't need him tracing Jared and catching us off guard.”

“I booked you and Jared a room at the hotel down the street,” Jeffrey explained, tucking his phone back into his pocket. “It's under the name Smith. I want you checking in with me every hour. If I call you, answer the phone. If you don't answer, I'm dispatching units. Got it?”

A wide smile came to Jensen's lips when Jeffrey used his _dad_ voice on him. “Yeah, I got it. I'll answer the phone,” Jensen promised. “And I'll send texts every hour. Once Jared has a new phone, I'll give you his number so you have it, too.”

Before Jensen reached Jared, Jeffrey gripped his elbow, stopping Jensen in his tracks. “We're gonna find him, kid,” Jeffrey promised. “Before anyone else gets hurt. And this time, we're going to throw him somewhere he'll never be able to escape.”

Although Jensen knew he should care about where that place was, he didn't. All he cared about right now was keeping Jared safe. And if that meant Mitch Pillegi went to some remote location no one knew about, Jensen really didn't give a shit. “I know we will,” he assured his friend, clapping the older man on the shoulder. “I'll call you when I get back to the hotel.”

With that, Jensen headed to his desk where he'd left Jared. A small, sad smile came to Jensen's lips as he watched Jared sleeping in the chair. They hadn't gotten much sleep last night. And Jared had been too wired on the plane to sleep. He looked so small, curled awkwardly into Jensen's desk chair with his head resting on his arms that he'd crossed over his drawn up knees. For a moment, Jensen was reminded of that sixteen year old boy he'd spent so much of his free time with.

But those memories were tainted now. Jensen wondered how long Mitch had been touching Jared and Jensen hadn't even realized something was wrong. Had it happened before Jensen left for the academy? Or had Mitch waited for Jensen to leave before he'd made his move? If Jensen hadn't left, would Jared have been hurt the way he'd been?

Jensen had always hated that creep. Mitch Pillegi had given him the heebie-jeebies since the first day he'd met him. Which was why when he'd arrested him, Jensen wasn't surprised. He'd always had a knack for being able to weed out the bad guys. And now, learning that Jared had been the one to lead him to the pervert, Jensen still felt sick.

Slowly, Jensen brushed his fingers through Jared's hair. He smiled softly when Jared's eyes blinked open, the younger man dropping his feet back to the floor. “Hey baby,” Jensen greeted, the pad of his thumb pressing against Jared's lips when the younger man smiled at him. “We're gonna go. We gotta head to the store and get some things. Jeffrey has a room set up for us at the hotel across the street. We're gonna stay there tonight, and then tomorrow, we have agents flying back with us.”

“We're going home?” Jared asked, feeling relief flood through him when Jensen assured him they were going home. “No witness protection?” Again, Jared smiled when Jensen confirmed that they weren't going into witness protection. 

Jensen almost fell over when Jared all but threw himself into his arms. “Jay, that doesn't mean we don't have to take precautions,” Jensen explained, arms wrapping around Jared as if it was a reflex. “Jeffrey's gonna contact your boss and let him know what's going on. You can't go home, baby. I got Jeffrey to agree to let you stay with me. There are going to be agents set up in your house in case Pillegi comes after you, alright?”

Relief flooded through Jensen when Jared didn't argue with him about this. Jensen had done the best he could, and he was glad Jared seemed to understand that. “I'm gonna try to make this as normal as possible for you, Jared,” Jensen promised. “But we still have to be careful. We don't know where Pillegi is, or what he's planning. And I'm not willing to risk you, okay?”

Something warm spread through Jared's chest when Jensen told him that he wasn't willing to risk him. No one had ever said that to him before. It made Jared swell with emotion, tears pricking at the backs of his eyes. “Yeah,” Jared agreed, nodding. “I promise, Jensen. I'll listen. I won't do anything to put myself in danger.”

Without thinking, Jared surged forward, capturing Jensen's lips with his own. The kiss was desperate, Jared trying to portray every emotion he was feeling for Jensen right now in that one action. However, after a few seconds, he seemed to gather his senses, pulling back quickly as if he just remembered they were in the middle of the FBI headquarters. “I-I'm sorry,” Jared whispered, trapping his bottom lip between his teeth.

Before Jared could really freak out, Jensen carded his fingers in Jared's hair, pulling him into a kiss once more. It wasn't long – no passion behind it really – but it was enough. “Don't be sorry,” Jensen whispered. “Don't ever be sorry for kissing me. I like it.” The blush that stole over Jared's cheeks had Jensen grinning – Jared was cute when he was embarrassed. “C'mon Jay, we gotta get moving.”

**~~**

It took about an hour to get Jared set up with a new phone and a new number. Jensen was honestly surprised it had only taken that long – being in the FBI had its advantages, he supposed. Before they headed back to the hotel, Jensen stopped at one of his favorite Chinese places, picking them up some food since neither of them had really eaten since before the plane. 

Once they were checked into their room, Jensen excused himself to call Jeffrey. The phone call didn't last long, Jensen just taking a minute to let Jeffrey know they'd made it safely and they were about to eat dinner. Of course, he'd tried to get an update about the case, but there was sadly nothing to report. 

His food tasted better than he remembered, though Jensen was sure that was just because he was starving by the time he was able to eat. He managed to shovel down his entire plate before Jared. Apparently, the events of the day had made Jared lose his appetite. “You wanna watch something on TV?” Jensen suggested as he put Jared's food in the mini fridge in case he got hungry later.

When Jared nodded, Jensen snagged the remote from the nightstand, moving to climb into the bed so that he was more comfortable. “C'mere,” he instructed, holding his arms out for Jared to climb into the bed with him. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips when Jared did as he was told, Jensen's arms quickly wrapping around the younger man like a blanket. “What do you wanna watch, baby?”

“I don't care,” Jared answered, snuggling into Jensen's chest. “I'm probably gonna fall asleep, anyway.” He felt drained. Then again, he wasn't surprised. The night before, he hadn't gotten hardly any sleep, and then today, he'd spent over half his morning on an airplane. There was no doubt in his mind he was experiencing some jet lag. 

Sure enough, almost as soon as Jensen flicked on some comedy, Jared's eyes fluttered closed, the younger man quickly falling asleep. 

_”Shhh...Jared, don't try to talk,” the man above him instructed, his cold fingers slowly petting down Jared's chest, making his skin crawl. “Just breathe. In through your nose, and out through your mouth. If you try to inhale through your mouth, there's a chance you'll aspirate. And I don't want to have to perform CPR today. Okay, Jared? Nod if you understand.”_

_Slowly, Jared nodded, feeling tears pricking at the backs of his eyes. He was paralyzed. He felt like he couldn't move. He kept telling his body to react – to fight this – but it just wouldn't listen. He didn't want this. He wanted to go home. His mother was making his favorite tonight – lasagna. If he wasn't home for dinner, his mother was going to be worried._

_A tear slipped down his cheek when he felt his shirt being pushed up. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. He tried to speak – tried to tell this man to leave him alone – but the words just wouldn't come out. There was something in his mouth preventing him from speaking. Instead, he tried to wiggle away, but his body just wouldn't move the way he wanted it to._

_The sound of a soft chuckle had air dusting over Jared's face, causing him to close his eyes tightly against the smell that wafted over him._ Please stop _he screamed in his head, though the words didn't leave his lips. “You're so eager,” the man spoke above him once more, making Jared's insides churn. Eager wasn't the word he'd use for this. Again, his mind screamed no, but he still couldn't speak._

_When rough fingers brushed over his skin, Jared whimpered, eyes trying to track the man's movements. His stomach dropped when he felt the man's hands on his jeans, popping the button and tugging the denim off his hips. Jared tried to fight it, but his body felt so heavy – he couldn't do much more than wiggle, which only seemed to excite the man above him._

_His mind was racing. Jared felt like he was going to puke. He knew what was coming. Although he couldn't really see in the dimly lit room, he could hear everything. The sound of denim shuffling, the button popping open, and the sound of the zipper sliding down. Almost immediately, he felt the cold, hard tip of the man's member pressing against his hole._

_That was the only warning he got before the man slid into him._

Jared's screams filled the room, causing Jensen to jerk awake, immediately reaching for his gun. His eyes scanned the room, checking for any threats, but they were alone here. Evidently, the only threat was in Jared's head. Quickly, Jensen reached for the younger man, shaking him from his sleep. “Jared, baby, hey,” he soothed, fingers carding through Jared's hair. “Shhh...baby, it's okay. It was just a dream. You're safe.”

Just a dream – Jared wished it had just been a dream. More times than he could count, he'd begged for this to stop. And it had – when he'd put Mitch behind bars, these dreams had stopped. Sure, the memories were still there, but he wasn't haunted when he tried to sleep. Now, he wasn't so lucky. “Felt so real,” Jared whispered, his voice cracking. “I can still...feel his hands on me, Jensen.”

Anger welled up inside Jensen when Jared spoke. He hated Mitch. He'd hated him when he'd arrested him, but now that he knew Jared was his final victim, he hated him even more. He wanted him dead. “Shh...it's okay, baby,” Jensen whispered, pressing his lips to Jared's temple. “I'm not gonna let him touch you. I promise – I'll kill him if he tries.”

While he should have felt something bad when Jensen offered to kill a man, Jared couldn't help but feel relief. He buried his body closer to Jensen, feeling the older man's arms wrap more tightly around him. A smile came to his lips when a sense of calm washed over him – that same feeling of being safe he'd felt that first night with Jensen. And he wasn't sure how, but he just knew that as long as Jensen was around, nothing was going to hurt him.

**~~**

The following day, Jensen and Jared were back on a plane headed home. Well, headed to Jensen's home, at least. Jared still wasn't allowed to go to his own home. Not that he was really too broken up about it. He was a little upset that he couldn't go to work, but Jensen had promised his boss that he'd keep Jared safe – apparently that meant he had to be confined to Jensen's house. Unless the two of them were going somewhere together. Jensen had at least swung that part. Otherwise, Jared was sure he would have gone crazy.

Not that he didn't want to be with Jensen – it was just being cooped up in one place for too long did things to Jared's head. He was finally in a good head space after so many years, and he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. Well, nothing more than what had already been done. Just learning that Mitch had escaped prison, Jared's head wasn't where it needed to be. But there wasn't really much he could do about it right now. 

Instead, Jared focused on things he could control. Like organizing his things in Jensen's room when they finally got back to his place. The police officers who were assigned to watch his house had everything shipped to Jensen's place so it would be here when Jared got here. Honestly, Jared thought that was really nice of them. After all, Jared wouldn't be able to stay here without his toothbrush, or his hair care products. And it wasn't like Jared was allowed to go shopping for them at the moment. So it was nice to have this sense of familiarity, at least.

After about thirty minutes, Jared had everything where he wanted it. And it was just in time, too since Jensen walked into the room just after he'd placed his conditioner bottle in the shower. “Hey, what's up?” Jared asked, cheeks getting bright with color as he watched Jensen look around the room. He hadn't really changed much – just a few changes to the closet and dresser so Jared had room for his clothes. But for some reason, Jared felt self conscious about it all of a sudden.

“Uh, I just got off the phone with my mom,” Jensen explained, waving his cell phone in the air. “She's with your parents. I guess they want to have dinner tonight. Your mom thought it might be a good idea to have everyone together right now.” Immediately, Jensen could see the fear in Jared's eyes, the older man quickly shaking his head. “No, baby, I don't think they told them anything,” he assured Jared, closing the gap between the two of them. His hands gripped Jared's biceps, keeping the younger man's focus on him. “They just wanna be there for you, Jay. I told them I'd ask and let them know. We don't have to go if you don't want to.”

Honestly, Jared had already had a long day. He knew that it was only after two, but it felt so much later. Still, he did want to see his family. He didn't want to be the kind of person who just shoved everyone he cared about away from him during hard times. His therapist had been _very_ clear when she told him that wasn't how he was supposed to handle his issues. Still, he did feel more confident when Jensen assured him not everyone knew about what had happened to him. It wasn't like he was trying to keep it a secret. He just didn't want people to look at him differently. Donna and Alan Ackles had been like parents to him his whole life, and he didn't want to jeopardize that. Not that he thought they'd blame him, but he just didn't feel sure about letting others know. It was bad enough he'd had to tell Jensen.

“No, Jen, we should go,” Jared assured him, smiling softly as he nodded. Jensen's hands on his biceps felt good – almost like they were grounding Jared. “I wanna see them. I just...I don't want them to know what happened. I mean...we can tell them...eventually. Just...not right now. I'm not ready.”

When Jared started talking about telling everyone what happened, Jensen quickly shook his head, shushing the younger man. “Jay, we don't have to tell them anything if you don't want to,” he promised. “This is your life, okay? No one needs to know anything about it you don't want them to know. It's completely your choice. You don't owe it to anyone to open up to them, okay baby?”

Jared felt tears well up behind his eyes when Jensen spoke. He really understood Jared, which was a relief. “Yeah,” he nodded, smiling softly. “Thank you...for understanding.” Feeling the urge to kiss Jensen's perfect lips, Jared leaned in, taking what he wanted. At first, Jared was hesitant, just pressing their lips together lightly. However, when Jensen offered up his tongue, Jared opened his mouth, allowing Jensen the access he'd begged for. 

As the kiss continued, Jared felt his body responding to Jensen's. A small moan escaped him only to be swallowed up in the kiss. His hands slid behind Jensen's head, fingers carding through Jensen's short cropped hair. Only when he needed air did he break the kiss, his breaths panting out of him. “What time do we have to be at your parents' place?” Jared asked, biting into his bottom lip as he locked eyes with Jensen.

He knew that look. “They want us there in about thirty minutes,” Jensen explained, remembering that he needed to text his mother back. “Do you want me to tell them we're going to be late?” Jensen had no problem being late – that just meant he had more time with Jared all to himself. And he _definitely_ wasn't opposed to taking Jared to bed right now.

Although Jared wanted Jensen naked, he didn't want to put a fork in their families' plans. “No, it's okay,” Jared assured Jensen, willing his body to relax. “I don't want to make them wait. But, um...tonight when we get back? Maybe...we could...pick this up?” He felt very unsure. He didn't think Jensen cared about what happened to him, but he also wasn't completely convinced it didn't make him damaged goods. And no one had time for someone with issues like Jared's.

Admittedly, Jensen was disappointed when Jared shut him down. However, a wide smile came to his lips at the idea of picking up where they left off later. Jensen could do that. Sure, he wasn't too keen on the idea of waiting, but he wasn't going to make Jared do anything he didn't want to. “We can _absolutely_ pick this up when we get home,” Jensen promised, pecking Jared on the cheek before he backed away. “I'll let my mom know that we'll be there.”

**~~**

It was a full house again at the Ackles' home. Jared felt a little uneasy around everyone, though he knew it was completely unwarranted. These people were like his extended family – and his parents had assured him they hadn't said anything about what happened to him in the past. So, Jared just tried to focus on being around everyone and just enjoying his time.

His mind kept going back to Jensen though. It was amazing how much their relationship had progressed in just a few days. Sure, they'd always been close – and back in the day, Jared had thought there may have been feelings there on both ends – but Jensen had never acted on it. So, he hadn't said anything. Now though, Jared was sure there could have been something there. Well, if Jensen hadn't left, there could have been something there.

But Jared wasn't going to dwell on the past. He wanted to focus on the present – focus on Jensen now, and not the Jensen from the past. Honestly, Jensen hadn't changed much in the last six years. He was still all about protecting the people he loved, and just having a good time. It was refreshing.

After dinner, Jared excused himself to the bathroom. When he came out of the room, he ran into Mackenzie, smiling at his old friend. “Mack, hey,” he greeted. She'd been quiet all night. And Jared hadn't missed the way she had been staring at him. Almost like she wanted to tell him something, but didn't have the right opportunity. “Is everything okay?”

“I heard you're staying with Jensen now,” Mackenzie explained, crossing her arms over her chest. She was aware of part of the situation – everyone was – but they didn't know the whole story. They just knew that Jared had been part of a trial and his testimony had put a man behind bars. They weren't aware of the man's name, and they weren't aware of the crime he committed. “In like...witness protection, or something? Because that guy escaped prison?”

Jared wasn't sure he liked where this was going. He knew Mackenzie wasn't a fan of her brother anymore. Of course, Jared had been away at school when it happened, so he wasn't sure of all of the details. But he didn't really care, honestly. He loved Jensen, and he just didn't understand how anyone couldn't. Especially his own sister, whom he'd done a lot for over the years. “Yeah, I am,” Jared answered with a nod.

Mimicking Jared's nod, Mackenzie warned, “Well, don't get too comfortable, Jared. I'm going to put a call into some of my contacts and see if I can get your transferred. I don't like that you're with Jensen. You can't trust him.” Angrily, Mackenzie spat, “Everyone who trusts Jensen ends up getting hurt.”

Anger welled up inside Jared when Mackenzie threatened to get him transferred. “What are you talking about?” Jared demanded, shaking his head. “I don't _want_ a transfer. I trust Jensen more than I've ever trusted another person. He understands me. And he's never done anything to make me think I'm in danger. I'm staying right where I am.”

Now, Mackenzie gripped Jared's arms, much like Jensen had done earlier. But it felt different when she did it. Jared felt cold and confined when she touched him. “Jared, listen to me,” Mackenzie begged. “I don't want you to get hurt. I love you. And if anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. I can't handle losing another person from my family. Please, let me help you.”

Quickly, Jared wiggled out of Mackenzie's grasp. “Look, I appreciate you wanting to help me,” he assured her. “But Mack, I don't need help. I'm right where I wanna be. Please just...don't mess with anything.”

With that, Jared headed back into the main living area. His body was shaking still from the conversation he'd had with Mackenzie, and Jared wanted more answers. But he knew he couldn't get them here – not around their families. His plan had been to just stay here for the duration of the evening and enjoy his time, but as soon as he sat down next to Jensen, the older man knew something was wrong.

Jensen excused himself and Jared for a moment, heading to the back yard so the two of them could speak privately. “What's wrong?” Jensen asked as soon as they were out of earshot. “Did something happen?” Scanning the perimeter, Jensen continued, “Did you see him? Is he here?”

He wanted to leave. As rude as it was, Jared just wanted to go home. “N-No,” he answered, quickly shaking his head. “I just...Mackenzie grabbed me in the hallway and said some stuff.” Again, Jared shook his head, biting into his bottom lip. “I just...I wanna leave. Can we leave? Please?”

Although Jensen was sure that his parents wouldn't like it, he was willing to take Jared home. “Yeah, we can leave,” he assured the younger man. “Go tell your folks goodbye. I'll let my mom know we're headed back.”

When Jared walked toward his parents, Jensen headed toward the house. He found his mother in the kitchen and quickly made his way toward her. “Hey Mom,” he greeted, smiling when she kissed his cheek. “Jared wants to head home, so I'm gonna take him.”

A small frown came to Donna's lips when Jensen said they were leaving. It was so early. “Oh, is everything okay?” she asked. “I hope he's not feeling ill. Is he alright?”

“Yeah, he's fine,” Jensen assured his mother. “It's just...Mackenzie grabbed him in the hallway and said something to him. I don't know what – I didn't ask. But he's pretty upset.” Jensen quickly shook his head when Donna offered to say something to her daughter. “No, Mom, just leave it,” Jensen begged. “She's still pissed at me, so she's just speaking out of anger. I'll handle it.”

With one last hug, Jensen set off to find his father. Once he'd said goodbye to him, Jensen made his rounds with everyone else before he found Jared once more. “C'mon baby,” he instructed, leading Jared to the car. “Let's get home.”


	3. Chapter Three

The ride back to his place felt tense. Jensen didn't like it. When they'd left for his parents' house, he and Jared had been in a good mood – they'd been joking and laughing, and now they were just sitting here with their teeth in their mouths. Jensen couldn't take the silence. “So...what did she say to you?” Jensen asked, eyes ticking to Jared briefly before he turned his attention to the road once more.

Jared knew this conversation was coming. He did want to talk about it, but now he was apprehensive. He didn't want Jensen to think that he believed Mackenzie. “She just told me that I shouldn't trust you,” Jared answered with a shrug. The look he got from Jensen let him know that Jensen wasn't buying that. “Okay, she told me that people get hurt when they trust you. And she told me that she was talking to her people and trying to get me transferred.”

He could feel the tension rolling off of Jensen in waves. “I told her to leave it alone,” Jared assured the older man. “I feel safe with you – safer than I've felt in years. So I told her to drop it.” Biting into his bottom lip, Jared asked, “But...can I ask why she doesn't trust you? I know something happened between you two. I just don't know what it was.”

“She hates me,” Jensen answered bluntly. “Before I left, Jeremy and I were partners on the police force. Well, we went on a job, and it went south. Jeremy rushed in before me. I heard the shots before I got in there. I put the guy down, but by the time the ambulance got there, Jeremy was gone. The guy got him in an artery. It would have just been a shoulder wound, but he missed – hit him a little lower. Mackenzie never forgave me for it. That's why I came back here – I was trying to make things right with us. For Josh's sake, you know?”

Now that he knew the whole story, Jared sort of understood where Mackenzie was coming from. Sure, he didn't think it was Jensen's fault that she lost her husband, but he knew that grief made people crazy. “Hey, what happened with Jeremy wasn't your fault,” Jared tried to explain. “Bad things happen. And it was just a fluke that the guy managed to hit an artery. You couldn't have stopped that, Jen.”

A small, sad smile came to Jensen's lips at Jared's words. “Yeah, I know,” he assured the younger man. And on some level, he did know that. But he also blamed himself for Jeremy's death. If he hadn't gone in without him, Jensen could have done something to stop it. Maybe, if he'd been there, Jeremy would still be alive. And his sister wouldn't hate him.

But he wasn't about to go down that dark road again. He'd been there, and done that. That's the reason he'd moved away. Sure, the promotion had been great, but it didn't make those feelings go away. So, Jensen saved everyone he could. And he kept himself at a distance from his team so that he couldn't get anyone else hurt. As a matter of fact, Jared was the first person he'd allowed himself to get close to since the accident. And now Jared was in danger. Kind of made him wonder if Mackenzie was right. “You know you can ask for a transfer if you want to,” Jensen assured Jared. “You don't _have_ to stay with me. If you'd feel better with someone else, I mean.”

Unsure of where this was coming from, Jared quickly shook his head. “No, I want to stay with you,” he promised. “I told you, I feel safe with you.” Biting into his bottom lip, Jared turned his attention to his hands in his lap. “Do...you not want to be around me?” Jared asked, suddenly feeling very unsure of himself again. “I mean, if you want me to get transferred, I'll do it.”

Immediately hating himself for putting those ideas into Jared's head, Jensen shook his head. “No, of course not!” he promised. Pulling into the driveway, Jensen cut the engine before he turned his attention to Jared completely. “I definitely want you to be here with me. I just wanted to make sure this is what you wanted. I've never...done the whole witness protection type thing. I mean, I understand how it works in theory, but I've never actually played it out. I just meant, if you'd feel more comfortable with someone who knew what they were doing, I'd understand.”

Without hesitation, Jared shook his head. “I want to be with you,” he assured the older man. “Like I said, I've never felt safer with anyone.” Biting into his bottom lip, Jared leaned in, lips brushing against Jensen's. “You make me feel like nothing can hurt me. I know you won't let anything hurt me. You've always been that way. I need to stay with you, Jen.”

Emotions welled up inside Jensen when Jared explained how he made him feel. He never thought that someone would need him – he kind of liked it. Because in actuality, Jensen needed Jared, too. “Kiss me,” Jensen whispered, moaning softly when Jared did as he was told. Before they'd left for his parents' house, he and Jared had been about to get _very_ close – Jensen wanted that now. “Come upstairs with me? Finish what we started before we had to go to dinner?”

A wide smile came to Jared's lips at Jensen's suggestion. “Yes, please?” Jared mumbled, quickly turning to open his door. Once they were both upstairs, Jared wasted no time getting Jensen out of his clothes. Jensen's shirt was the first thing to go, Jared tossing it into the corner haphazardly as his fingers worked the fastenings of Jensen's pants. As soon as he had them open, he shoved the denim off Jensen's body, biting into his bottom lip as he drank in the sight of his lover.

Jared was only able to admire the view for a minute before Jensen was peeling him out of his clothing. Jensen had him naked in no time, his fingers curling around Jared's wrist as he led him to the bed. “Jen,” Jared breathed against Jensen's shoulder, biting into the smooth flesh there. “I want you.” Shivers ran down his spine as Jensen's fingers slid down his body, over hard abs and deeper, into the soft curls at the base of his cock. “God...please?”

Gently, Jensen shushed Jared, lips crushing over the younger man's. He wanted to make this good for Jared. Not that the last time hadn't been good, but he hadn't really had a chance to admire Jared's body then. He was going to change that this time. “Lay on your back for me, baby,” Jensen whispered, pushing at Jared's shoulder to get him to do as he was told. 

Once Jared was on his back, Jensen leaned in, sucking one of Jared's nipples into his mouth. He smiled around the nub when Jared hissed in a breath, his back arching into Jensen's mouth. While he worked Jared's nipple with his mouth, he used his thumb and index finger to tease its twin. After a few moments, he moved his mouth to lavish attention to Jared's other nipple. “I wanna suck you baby,” Jensen whispered, pressing kisses down the center of Jared's chest. “Can I?”

The fact that Jensen thought he had to ask was almost laughable. But, given Jared's history, it was really nice of him to do so. Jared actually thought it was really cute. “Yes,” he nodded, biting into his bottom lip as Jensen kissed his way lower. “Please...God...yes.”

When Jensen reached his destination, he licked a long stripe from the base of Jared's cock all the way to the tip. His lover was so hard for him already. Jensen couldn't wait to taste him. Slowly, Jensen took Jared's cock into his mouth, moaning around his flesh as he opened his mouth wider to accommodate Jared's member. 

As he bobbed his head, moaning around his lover's flesh, Jensen reached for Jared's mouth. Luckily, Jared seemed to understand what he wanted, the younger man taking two of Jensen's fingers between his lips and sucking hard. He made sure to get them nice and wet, figuring that's what Jensen was going to use as lubrication. After all, Jensen didn't seem to have anything else to use here. That actually had Jared pretty happy – it meant he didn't do this sort of thing often.

Not that the way he was sucking Jared's cock was any indication. It was like he was a pro. “Jen...” Jared breathed, biting into his bottom lip as his eyes squeezed closed, Jared's head pressing against his pillow. “Fuck...Jen, stop, please? Gonna make me cum...Jensen.”

Hearing Jared say stop had Jensen pulling off with a wet _pop_. For a minute, he thought that Jared had been begging him to stop for a completely different reason. However, when he realized it was just because Jared was going to lose it, he actually had to toot his own horn a bit. Slowly, he crawled his way up Jared's body, pressing kisses to the younger man's torso along the way. “One day, you're gonna have to let me do that again,” Jensen smirked against Jared's ear, nipping the shell.

Jared moaned softly as Jensen pushed a slick digit into his hole, biting into his bottom lip at the initial pain that he felt. It was quickly replaced by pleasure as Jensen allowed his finger to hit the sweet bundle of nerves inside Jared that made him see white because of the pleasure he felt. Jensen usually had that effect on him though, so Jared wasn’t surprised.

As Jensen added another finger, Jared groaned in pleasure once more, back arching to get closer to Jensen as the older man continued to kiss and suck at his neck. Jared knew Jensen was probably leaving marks, but he just couldn't find it in himself to care all that much right now.

Once Jensen could get three fingers inside Jared comfortably without the younger man showing any signs of pain, Jensen knew that it was time to replace his fingers with what Jared really wanted. He made quick work of lubing up his cock before he lined himself up with Jared’s prepared hole, kissing the younger man’s lips softly. His lover groaned softly when Jensen pushed in, the older man burying himself to the hilt slowly before stopping completely, giving Jared time to adjust. "You alright?" he breathed softly, capturing Jared's lips with his own once more when he received a nod in response.

Only a few minutes after Jensen started to move, it was already feeling so damn great that Jared got restless, pushing himself up into a seated position and forcing Jensen to change positions so they didn't lose contact. He kissed Jensen roughly, nipping at the older man's plush bottom lip before he rolled them so that Jensen was on his back with Jared straddling his hips. Their combined moans of pleasure and soft pants filled the room as Jensen chuckled, his hands running up Jared's sides as the younger man rode him. 

“Slow down baby,” he teased, knowing this had been a long time coming and they both just wanted to feel each other. He was still wishing they'd done this before they'd gone to his parents' house. Still, he wasn't going to have Jared moving too quick and spoiling this for them or hurting himself. He gripped Jared's hips, helping to steady him and angled his hips so that when he pushed back in, he hit Jared's prostate. He smiled once more when his lover's eyes squeezed closed in pleasure and his head pressed back into the pillow, revealing Jared's long neck. "Oh Jay," he breathed huskily, head dipping to nip and kiss Jared's neck.

Their pace slowly began to pick up, Jared feeling heat pool low in his belly as his hands gripped at Jensen. His back arched as he leaned back, gripping Jensen's thighs. "Oh God," he moaned, eyes squeezed tightly in pleasure. If this kept going on, he wasn't going to last long. "Please, Jensen..." One final thrust and Jared was sent crashing into oblivion, his inner muscles clenching around Jensen, pulling his lover right along with him.

As they both came down from their high, Jensen rolled onto his side, wrapping an arm around his lover’s waist. His lips slowly trailed kisses along Jared’s neck and over to his shoulder, then back. “Mmm…I love you, Jay,” he whispered softly, spooning in closer behind Jared. He’d been meaning to tell Jared that he loved him for a while now, but it had just never seemed like the right time. Now seemed like the perfect time as far as Jensen was concerned.

A wide smile came to Jared’s lips as he closed his eyes, ready to just fall asleep in Jensen's. “I love you too,” he whispered back, scooting back a bit so there was no space between his and Jensen’s bodies. Sure, there hadn’t been much to begin with, but it had been enough as far as Jared was concerned.

**~~**

“I'll be up in a minute,” Jared called after Jensen as he jogged up the stairs. “And don't you _dare_ start showering without me!” He chuckled when he heard Jensen shout back a response, shaking his head slightly. Things had been going really well lately. He'd been with Jensen for about three weeks now, and so far, nothing had happened. Honestly, Jared was starting to wonder if they really needed to worry about Mitch. Maybe the man had just tucked tail and gotten out of the country.

Grabbing his phone, Jared quickly answered it. “Hey, Megan,” he smiled into the phone. “What's up?” His heart sank when his sister spoke. The younger woman sounded scared – something in her tone let Jared know immediately that she was not okay. “Megan, what's wrong? You don't sound right. Is everything okay?”

His stomach flopped when the voice on the other line changed. “Jared, is that you?” came a familiar voice. Jared could feel all of the blood draining from his face, his body instantly starting to shake. “I've been waiting to hear that voice of yours. Still the same as the day I met you. Maybe a little deeper now. But I like it.”

There was a pause as the man on the other line chuckled. “Listen to me, Jared. Don't try anything stupid. I have your sister, and I would _hate_ for anything to happen to her. I always did enjoy her bubbly personality. Way more personable than your brother.”

Fear gripped Jared like a cold vice. “What do you want?” he demanded, knowing that if something happened to his sister, he would never be able to forgive himself. This was all happening because of him, after all. And he wasn't about to just sit back and do nothing while his sister was in danger. 

Another chuckle escaped the man on the other line. “What I've always wanted, Jared,” Mitch answered matter of factly. “Meet me at your sister's dorm room. You have twenty minutes. And Jared, come _alone_. If I get any hints of you bringing you FBI friends, I'll kill her.”

With that, the line went dead. Jared barely managed to keep the phone from falling out of his numb fingers. Quickly, Jared grabbed the keys to Jensen's truck and headed out of the house. Jensen would be pissed when he found out what Jared had done, but Jared hoped that he would understand. This was his sister – Jared had to do whatever he could to keep her safe. And he didn't think for one second that Mitch was lying about hurting Megan. After all, Mitch didn't care about anyone or anything – just himself. And Jared was sure that if he had the opportunity to hurt him, Mitch was going to take it. _Whatever_ it may be.

It took Jared almost the entire twenty minutes to drive to the college his sister was studying at. He quickly made his way to her room, knocking on the door frantically. When Megan answered the door, he felt relief wash over him. At least she was still okay. Quickly, he walked into the room, closing the door behind himself when he was ordered to do so. “You have me now,” Jared spat out. “That's what you wanted, wasn't it? Let my sister go.”

Mitch didn't hesitate for a moment to shoo Megan out of the room. He didn't care where she went, or who she blabbed to. No one would be able to get Jared away from him this time. And even if they tried, Jared would be so broken, there would be nothing left of him. “Jared, I've missed you,” Mitch pouted, stalking toward the younger man. “I'm sorry it had to come to this. But you've been with that FBI prick since I got out. I couldn't get a moment alone with you.”

Now that Mitch had that moment, Jared felt like he was going to puke. It had been years since he'd been face-to-face with his attacker, but now it was like he was that scared sixteen year old boy all over again. When Mitch gripped his chin, Jared whimpered, his body frozen with fear. A single tear slipped from his cheek when the other man pressed his body close to him. “We're going to have so much fun together, baby,” Mitch promised, causing Jared's whole world to shatter.

**~~**

The sound of a car rolling into the driveway brought Jensen's attention to the window. He recognized the car immediately – it belonged to Megan. Quickly, Jensen tore out of the house, meeting the young woman at the door. “Megan, what are you doing here?” Jensen asked, recognizing that the woman was shaking. “Hey, what's wrong?” he asked, gripping her biceps. “Have you talked to Jared? Where is he? Megan?!”

When Jensen gave her a shake, Megan seemed to snap out of whatever coma she was in. “He has him,” Megan answered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I-I tried to fight him off, Jensen, but he was too strong. He made me call Jared. And he made Jared come meet him at my dorm. Jensen...I don't know what's going to happen to him. Please, you have to help him!”

His mind was racing. Mitch had Jared. It had been almost three weeks, and they hadn't heard a peep! Now, all of a sudden, Jared was in danger. And Jensen hadn't been there to help him. “Megan, listen to me,” Jensen ordered. “Give me your keys. I'm gonna take you to Sharon and Gerald, okay? And then I'm gonna go get Jared. Everything is gonna be okay.” 

Even as he said the words, Jensen wasn't too sure about them. He had no idea where to even start looking. After all, Mitch wasn't stupid enough to keep Jared at Megan's dorm room. Jensen needed help. And he knew just the person to call.

After dropping Megan off at her parents' house, Jensen borrowed her car again. He didn't waste another second as he dialed a familiar number, fingers tapping on the steering wheel impatiently as he waited for an answer. “Alona,” he answered when he heard the voice on the other line. “I need your help. Jared's gone. Mitch used Megan as bait. I need you to track his number and tell me where he is.”

There was a reason Alona was on the team – she had the best computer skills of anyone in the tri-state area. And right now, Jensen was more thankful for that than he could ever explain. It took her less than sixty seconds to give him an address – _Jared's_ address. “Thank you, Alona. You're the best.”

Jensen's foot pressed harder on the gas pedal as he hung up, whipping the steering wheel in the direction of Jared's house. The fact that he was there led Jensen to believe the police officers who had been guarding the place were dead – that was the only way Mitch was getting Jared into that house. He was breaking every speed limit to get to Jared, but he felt like he wasn't even moving. His heart was pounding against his chest so hard that he was sure it was going to bust right out of his body. He needed to get to Jared.

**~~**

“This is just like old times, isn't it, Jared?” Mitch cooed, sitting back on his heels when he finished securing Jared to the bedpost. Smiling wider, Mitch shook his head. “Just missing one little thing.” Slowly, he pulled something out of his back pocket, smiling viciously down at Jared. “Do you remember this?” he asked, showing Jared the ball gag. “It'll be _just_ like old times.”

Jared wasn't able to move much in his current position, but his head wasn't secured. He tried everything to keep that damn gag away from his mouth, but ultimately, Mitch got what he wanted. As soon as the gag was secured, Jared felt like he was going to lose the contents of his stomach. But those words Mitch always spoke rang in his head, reminding him that he'd aspirate if he didn't keep himself together. 

A small whimper broke from Jared when Mitch leaned down, lips pressing against his skin. “You do remember what it was like, don't you?” he asked, smiling fondly down at Jared. “Or do you only remember those nights you spent with your FBI prick?” The idea of Jared being with someone else had Mitch's blood boiling. “Don't worry, Jared. I'll make you remember. When I'm done with you, you'll forget all about that asshole.”

Before Mitch had a chance to start unbuttoning his pants, the door burst open, Jensen racing in with his gun trained on Mitch. “Get the hell away from him,” Jensen warned, finger tightening on the trigger. He wanted to squeeze tighter – he wanted to watch as his bullet penetrated through Mitch's head. But he knew he couldn't – not unless Mitch got out of line.

Although leaving Jared alone was the last thing Mitch wanted to do, he knew that he had been caught. He had no weapons, and there was nothing he could do at this point – he was finished. Slowly, he raised his hands, surrendering to Jensen.

He was about to get his cuffs out and take care of this problem, but he stopped for a minute. Images of the dead police officers in their car out front flashed through Jensen's mind, making his finger twitch. All he had to do was squeeze a little harder, and all of this would be over. No, he couldn't – he was an FBI agent. He couldn't just decided who lived and who died – the man was surrendering.

As much as he wanted to kill him, Jensen knew he couldn't. And he'd talked himself out of it, too. That was until he locked eyes with Jared. The younger man was so scared – he was bound and gagged to a bed, completely naked, and he looked _so damn scared_. 

Slowly, Jensen's eyes turned back to Mitch, his face hard. This man was never going to stop. As long as he was alive, Jared was going to be in danger. After all, he'd escaped from prison once already. What was to stop him from doing it again? How could Jared ever be safe while this man was breathing? Without another thought, Jensen pulled the trigger, watching as the bullet hit its mark.

Mitch wasn't even on the ground before Jensen was on the bed, quickly releasing Jared. As soon as Jared's arms were free, he started clawing at the clasps of the ball gag, his body shaking as he sobbed. “Hey, baby, relax,” Jensen cooed , pushing Jared's hands out of the way as he quickly worked the ball gag open.

Once the latch was released, Jared spit the gag out, throwing it across the room. “Jensen, I'm sorry,” he sobbed, fingers clawing at Jensen's Henley as he pulled the older man closer to him. He heard Jensen shushing him, Jared trying to calm him breathing as he burrowed further into Jensen's chest. “Is it over?” he hiccuped, unable to look and see for himself.

“Yeah baby,” Jensen whispered, arms wrapping impossibly tighter around Jared. “It's over. He won't hurt you ever again, baby. I promise.” It was over – Mitch was dead. Jensen had killed a man with no weapons – a man who had surrendered. But he'd done what he had to do. Mitch was never going to leave Jared alone – this had to be done. And if he was given the opportunity to do it again, Jensen would have made the same decision.

**~~**

** Six Months Later **

A loud shriek left Jared as he ran across the back yard, narrowly dodging the stream of water from the squirt gun Jensen had pointed at him. “Jensen!” Jared chuckled, holding his hands out in front of him. “Stop it. I don't have any clean clothes here – Jen!” He laughed once more when Jensen shot at him again, almost hitting him in the chest. 

Chuckling loudly, Jensen tossed the empty squirt gun aside, closing the gap between himself and Jared. “I surrender,” he smiled, wrapping Jared in a hug. “Mmm...maybe I just wanted to get this white shirt of yours wet, baby. It's one of the many joys I have in life.”

Jared couldn't help but laugh when Jensen suggested he wanted to see him in a wet white shirt. “Jensen, you're so bad,” Jared chuckled. “We're at your family's barbeque. Could you at least _try_ to be decent?”

As far as Jensen was concerned, he wasn't being inappropriate. He and Jared were in a relationship, and they had a _very_ healthy sex life. And Jensen didn't think it was a bad thing. But Jared was right – there was something much better Jensen wanted to do in the presence of his family today. “How's this for decent?” Jensen smiled, kneeling down on one knee. Reaching into his pocket, Jensen pulled out a box, opening it to reveal a smooth, black band. “Jared Tristian Padalecki, will you marry me?”

When Jensen got down on one knee, Jared felt like he couldn't breathe. “Jensen,” he whispered, feeling tears pricking at the backs of his eyes. “I-I don't even know what to say.” A tear slipped from his eye as he felt love well up inside him. “Of course I'll marry you.”

For a second, Jensen thought Jared was going to say no. He'd been planning this for weeks. But when Jared said he didn't even know what to say, Jensen felt himself start to sweat – and not from the heat outside. However, when Jared said of course, Jensen pushed to his full height, sliding the ring on Jared's finger before he crushed their lips together.


End file.
